The Abaco Island Tarpon Experiment

By: Greg Thomas

Photography by: Greg Thomas

Click image for slideshow.

Armando Pagliari likes to get under people’s skin. In Quebec, I’ve heard him shout at his favorite salmon guide, Rodney Gallon, “Hey Rodney, you are the worst effin’ guide in the world.” But then, to compensate for his evil entertainment, Pagliari spoils Gallon with lavish tips.

Black drum get no respect. And I really don’t know why: THEY TAIL while feeding on the flats, you can sight-cast to them in shallow water, they are plentiful, they grow to more than 100 pounds (that’s not a typo), they can fight hard and they are not easy. If you haven’t cast to a big, tailing black drum, I recommend you give it a try. You may become a better angler for it. I have always thought that when you go after a new species, you can’t help but learn more about the fish’s environment and the different foods in their habitat, while improving your casting accuracy, fly manipulation and fish-fighting.